Search Our Resource Library

Sort by

Medicaid is an important source of funding for hospitals and health systems in communities across the country. And a stronger health care system benefits all consumers, not just those with Medicaid coverage.

In horse racing, it is not a good idea to change jockeys when you have a winner. That is why Governor–elect Matt Bevin should not rush into a decision on Kentucky’s winning approach to health coverage. It is not just the economic case that the new governor should consider. Bevin must grapple with the impact an upheaval in the health care system would have on the state’s low-income workers and their families.

Last month, Congress and President Obama worked out a budget deal that provides relief from the sequester caps, raises the debt ceiling, and prevents a steep scheduled rise in Medicare Part B premiums and deductibles. Despite this welcome show of bipartisanship, the remainder of this legislative session will likely include continued attempts to undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and funding for Planned Parenthood.

On Veterans Day, we pay tribute to the servicemen and women who have sacrificed for our nation. But lawmakers in the 20 states that have refused to expand Medicaid are missing an important opportunity to give back to veterans, nearly 1 in 10 of whom lack health insurance. By expanding Medicaid, these states can help uninsured veterans and their families.

Extending Medicaid benefits low-income adults, their families, the health care system, and state economies. It is important to maintain the current federal Medicaid financing structure to help keep the program strong.

A majority of states are taking advantage of federal funds and expanding their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Several states have done so using Section 1115 waivers to modify aspects of their Medicaid program, like benefits, premiums, and cost-sharing. Our new Medicaid Expansion Waiver Center outlines what’s in state expansion waivers and gives state advocates resources for challenging potential harmful proposals.

Great news out of Georgetown’s Center for Children and Families about how the Affordable Care Act is affecting health insurance for children. Based on analysis of data from 50 states, they found that the rate of children without health insurance has plummeted to a new record low.

As their Executive Director Joan Alker explained in her blog, the new report attributes this historic drop in the rate of uninsured children in large part to the ACA, “which for kids was building on more than a decade of success by Medicaid and CHIP working together.”

Montana, the most recent state to extend its Medicaid program to more residents, is wrapping up negotiations with the federal government to determine the logistics of what this alternative expansion program will entail. Like several of the 31 states (including D.C.) that have opted to expand Medicaid, Montana chose to expand its program using an 1115 waiver. These waivers give states increased flexibility when designing their Medicaid programs.

In 2014, West Virginia accepted federal funds to provide health insurance to more low-income residents through Medicaid. Medicaid expansion gives low- and middle-income West Virginians the chance to enroll in affordable health insurance.